


What Now?

by InvaderHog



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Genre: Cassian is a preist, F/M, Intrigue, Jyn is a school teacher, Murder Mystery AU, Post World War 2 AU, tumblr post
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-08
Updated: 2017-10-10
Packaged: 2018-12-12 20:20:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11744454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InvaderHog/pseuds/InvaderHog
Summary: Summary: Rogue One AU- After World War II, Father Andor has been struggling with his faith in anything, especially God. After being in hell, how can he possibly return to a normal life? When he is sent to a small parish in the middle of a small island of Scariff, he is faced with a serious problem when a young housemaid is killed and everyone is pointing their fingers at each other. Prompt by @rapidashpatronus and @sambargestuff on Tumblr.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have been having a really hard time writing lately and just as I am sitting here wishing I could write literally anything, a post from Tumblr saves my soul.

Chapter One  
War is Hell

“War does not determine who is right- only who is left.” – Bertrand Russell

 

Yavin, England- 1946

It had been a long time since he saw a cup of coffee. A real cup. China. Not broken, cracked or chipped. It was strange, holding it in his hand like he knew what to do with it. Usually he was so thirsty, so tired, so ready to fall down that he would throw it into his mouth and swallow, knowing that it was going to be cold no matter how fast he drank it. But this was different. It was warm. It was steaming even. And the cup was clean, a little gold band around the rim. How long had it been since he saw such a beautifully simple thing?

“Cassian?”

He looked up, snapping out of his reverie.

“Yes, Father,” he said, setting the cup on the plate on his lap. The reverend looked back at the books spread out in front of him.

“I was asking you about your time in the Pacific.”

God he wished he wouldn’t. No seriously, God, please don’t make Cassian repeat anything about anything he did or saw over the last seven years.

“Uh, I would rather…” he trailed off and the reverend silenced him with a wave of his hand.

“Understood, understood. You did a brave thing out there, Cassian. You were with your unit the entire war.”

Not really, he thought. He had been with six units the course of the war. But Reverend Draven clearly didn’t really care. This was all formality. This was all about that incident two days ago. The Church was trying to figure out what to do with him now that he was back. With the war over, an Army Chaplin was unnecessary and he needed to rejoin the church. Well, join it officially, he guessed.

Cassian was only twenty when the war started. Now he was almost twenty-eight. He had been in line to get his orders when the declaration from Germany came, and war started in Poland. He was quickly pushed through the line like other young reverends because the army needed men and serving God and the English military was a high honor. Or that was what the naïve Cassian told himself when he went into that godforsaken place.

“Father Andor.”

He looked up, not realizing that he had let his mind leave the room again and drift back to the beach. He blinked and set the cup and saucer on the desk in front of him.

“Where are you exiling me to?”

Being blunt was the only way he could handle what was happening to him. Draven seemed almost amused. He nodded and handed him a letter.

“The Cardinal needs reverends everywhere now that we’ve lost so many. You will go to Scariff, a small island about three hours ride from shore. There you will have a flock of two hundred, maybe even two fifty.”

He was literally being exiled to an island. He would laugh if he could remember how. He took the letter and read it through himself but was not surprised. They needed to bury him. The things that he’d said. The things he’d done. The incident. It all needed to go away. The Church needed to pretend that none of this was real, that everything that had taken place over the past ten years hadn’t happened. Thankfully, he thought to himself, the Americans weren’t about to let anyone forget what had happened here. So he stood up with his letter, downed his hot coffee in one sip and didn’t feel bad when the cup fell hard against the saucer before he left.  
\---  
Jyn Erso had been unemployed for six months now. It wasn’t for lack of trying. But there were no jobs now that the war was over and London was stifling. She needed to leave. Now that it was over, she needed to find something else. She needed to get away from the things she’d known, the things she wish she hadn’t known.

Jyn had never really had much of a home. She had one once when she was a child, but that was taken from her when she was eight and she had never really been anywhere since.  
She determined that England was not her home anymore and she needed to find something new. So when she saw an advertisement for a teaching position in a small island off of the coast of Spain, seeking an English speaking teacher in particular, she jumped at the chance. Sure, she’d never gone to school much herself, but she could read and write and pretend like she knew something about math. That should be enough to get her through the process.

Turned out it didn’t matter, she was the only person to show up at the appointed time, was given a smile, a ticket and passport and on the next available ship to Scariff.  
\---  
Scariff was a very lovely tropical island that had nothing going for it besides the clean water and the crisp air. The people had long abandoned the place except for about two hundred and fifty. There was a single Catholic church, currently unoccupied, as the last reverend had parted this mortal coil about six months into the war and no one had thought to replace him.

A Chinese man, a foreigner, often sat on the front steps, preaching the good word to anyone who would listen and people pitied him because he was blind. He did not mind their pity, it always got him a little money for the groceries for the week.

The island was almost all older people. The young men, what few there had been, were all dead and buried in the war. The women, what few there had been, stayed in the world, not willing to give up their new-found freedom in the working class. Jyn was actually one of the youngest people there at the age of twenty-six.

The only people for her to teach were exactly four children, all under the age of five, born during the war and couldn’t read or write, but were skilled in trade already. They proved to be simple and easy to manipulate and Jyn worked well with them.

The other sight on the island, a sight that had been there since it was founded, was the Tower. It was a massive castle on the opposite side of the island, directly across from the church. The owners had been Nazi sympathizers and run out during the war. There was only one man who lived there now, and rarely had anyone seen him. Jyn referred to him as “the man in a white suit” for she had only seen him twice at a distance and he was always wearing white.

Little was known about the man, the only thing anyone could understand was he had been a war hero and found bravely, a military director of some kind.

Jyn lived in the school house. It had originally been just a normal house, with a large room for schooling attached to it many years later. It was enough for five plus herself so she didn’t mind. The house was next to the water, looking at the beach and the sea. A comfort from her childhood, for she once lived next to the ocean then too, only the sand where she lived was black, not the white beautiful expanse that she saw every day.

Every morning, she woke up, started her tea, and looked out at the waves.

It took her three weeks to convince Bodhi to come here. He had been so insistent on living alone, living so far away. He thought he could handle being back in London. But she knew better. She couldn’t look around as if nothing had happened there either. She knew that he wouldn’t be able to handle it. When he suddenly appeared on the beach one morning, carrying his suitcase and box of medals, she cried, thanking whatever deity she could that he was finally home.

He was sitting out on the beach right at the moment, looking at the water. It had become something of a ritual. A strange kind of thing that he had to do. She never went out there. She never asked him what he was looking at. The siblings had been through so much together, they didn’t need words.

At the moment, she was the one earning the income, and Bodhi was having a hard time finding it in himself to work as a fisherman, the only real trade that was useful on the island. But he was determined to figure it out.

That morning, a cold August morning, she looked out at the water and saw her brother sitting at the edge, watching the waves. She watched him for a long moment before she went out to give him a cup of warm tea. She was walking on the beach, heading towards him when black entered her vision. She turned and looked down the long stretch of empty beach and saw a man standing there, watching the water as well. She stopped walking and just watched him. He was not moving, only looking. She held a warm cup of tea close to her chest. She looked at Bhodi, who had not moved, and she turned, going to his side.

“Tea,” she said, watching the man in black. “You’ve got company.”

He looked up, as if startled from a dream and looked down the beach. The man had left his spot and was making his way back up the hill, not noticing them. Or maybe he didn’t care.

“The new preacher man,” Bhodi said quietly, standing up. “I heard it from the men in town. The church has returned to Scariff.”

“Maybe he’ll give you a job, caretaking or something,” Jyn said and her brother shrugged.

“What would God want me doing in his sanctuary?”

“Cleaning the pews and pretending to know how to read Latin,” she said, turning and walking back towards the house with the wind picking up as she went.


	2. Take Me to Church

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who doesn't love the idea of Cassian staring at the sea longingly? I do I do!!

Chapter Two  
Take Me To Church

“War is cruelty. There is no use trying to reform it. The crueler it is the sooner it will be over.” –William Tecumeh Sherman 

The water was freezing. The island didn’t have running water yet. It was a work-in-progress. So Cassian had to live with a ceramic bowl, vanity with dirty mirror and small shaving kit from his war days. He was used to not having much. The Order wasn’t exactly all about worldly possessions. He had his Bible, his prayer books, a few letters from the men in his unit, a photograph of each unit he had been a part of and the box of medals in his side table that he couldn’t bring himself to throw away.

He looked at the water and then dipped his hands inside the frigid water, splashing it on his face and groaning a little at the tingle. It burned but didn’t hurt and he blinked away the water, running his hands down his face, slow and tired. He looked at himself. It was something he wasn’t used to. He had been given a piece of glass or a mirror to shave in the war but sometimes he went days or weeks without even looking at himself. He was so used to being covered in blood, dirt and sand that he was not used to being without it.

The face looking back at him was foreign. A thing he remembered but barely. He closed his eyes and looked down at the water again, taking another second before plunging back in.

He finished, cleaned up and dressed for his first day on Scariff.  
\---  
He had arrived the day before on a boat, arriving at dusk and more tired than he had realized. He made the long walk up the hill to the church, found his room via candlelight (they had light bulbs but the electricity wasn’t working the church currently) and fell asleep the instant he hit the mattress.

By habit from his time in the orphanage and the monastery, Cassian awoke with the break of dawn. He had to go behind the church and get his own water to wake up with and if he wanted a shower he was going to have to the community bathhouse in town where they had one.

He said his morning prayer, more out of habit than faithfulness, and went outside. He was wandering around for about an hour, just observing everything. The island wasn’t that big, it wasn’t hard to see just about everything. He was on his way back to the church when he saw the beach down below and wanted to go to the water’s edge.

He found the sand was familiar and hard from the oncoming fall months. The waves crashed against the beach, and he closed his eyes, trying not to think of bodies floating among the seaweed. He turned and left the water’s edge, heading back up the hill.

“Father!”

He looked up and saw someone coming towards him, waving. It was a woman from the village, he had seen her on his hour-long walk. She was waving her hands and coming towards him.

“Father Andor,” she said, offering a hand to shake, “I am Mon Mothma. I am technically the mayor here.”

“I don’t believe I have ever met a female mayor, honestly,” he said, and she nodded.

“The war changed a lot of things. Anyway, thank you for coming to the island. I think that it will do everyone good to have a priest again. When Father Fulcrum died, we were worried that no one would replace him. The church has been very empty since.”

“I heard that someone has been preaching the good word,” he said, referring to the blind Chinese man he’d heard about from the captain of the ship he’d been on.

“Chirrut Imwe yes… he is a very passionate believer but a preacher he is not.”

“Well I hope that I will still have people coming to church on Sunday.”

“People will come, listening is harder. The War took everything from us, Father,” she said, following him down the road. “Everyone lost their son or daughter. Some lost family members, and disease ravaged the island a year ago, so we aren’t many in number. Many people believe that God has abandoned us and I am inclined to agree on a particularly  
bad day.”

He said nothing. He closed his eyes, trying to get the beach away from his mind. He needed to lead these people.

“Doubts are natural, especially since we thought we’d seen the worst of humanity in the last war.”

“Well it will be good for everyone to have someone to talk to at least, prayer and confession and all of that,” she said, stopping at a crossroad. “I have to return to work, but I did just want to come and meet with you. Saturday night is the Fall Bacchanalia. Yes, pagan name but it is an important ceremony for the island. During the winter months it gets so cold here that the water is hard to navigate so these fall months are vital for getting enough fish to survive the winter. We pray to God that he provide enough fish for the winter.”

“I will be there,” he said, though he didn’t know how he felt about such a pagan sounding ritual. But he had seen things that he never thought he would in his short life so he wasn’t one to judge. She nodded and left without another word and he was left standing there, thinking about the beach without meaning to.  
\--  
A crash startled Jyn from her reading. She put the book down and walked to the kitchen, finding Bodhi sitting on the floor, a broken plate in front of him as he was huddle up against the cabinets in the corner, shaking.

“I’m the… pilot,” he was muttering over and over again.

Jyn watched him for a long moment and then she walked in slowly. She knew that sudden movements and loud noise made it worse. She had awoken one night several weeks earlier to the same thing and scared him when she shouted what was wrong. She slowly sat down near him, ignoring the broken plate.

“Bodhi,” she said quietly, waiting for him to stop muttering and hear her. “Bodhi, where are you?”

He wasn’t looking at her, but at something unknown. He was back in the prisoner camp. He was in the mud and blood and death. She waited for a long moment.

“Bodhi. Where are you?”

He was silent and finally he broke his stare, slowly turning and looking at her.

“I’m the pilot… I brought the message…”

“Bodhi,” she repeated, not angry, not frustrated, just calmly. “Where are you right now?”

“H…Home…”

She nodded, and reached out, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and pulling him close. He was shivering and slowly he gripped her, coming back to reality. She didn’t let him go until he was ready and she saw that he was sniffing.

“It’s okay,” she said, rubbing his back as he looked at the broken plate.

“Sorry…”

“It was an ugly plate anyway,” she said, waving her hand. She looked at his hands, shaking a little but it didn’t look like he’d cut himself this time. She looked at his eyes, pleading and scared, sorry for what he’d done.

“Hey, do you want to go pray? I haven’t done it since we were in St. Gerolamo. I don’t think it would hurt to do it right now.”

He didn’t say anything for a moment but the thought of their childhood, their time together, brought him back to her for a moment. He nodded slowly and she helped him to his feet.

It was Friday, the children were gone for the day from school and so the trip to the church only took a twenty minute walk. The building looked old, tired, and worn. There were candles lit in the windows and the wind was billowing more than usual.

As they approached the doors, a young woman hurried out, looking at the stairs as she hurried down them. It was rare to see young women on the island, but it had been heard that an advertisement went out from the Tower for housemaids and butlers a month earlier and finally some people were answering the call. She did not acknowledge the siblings and simple continued her hurried walk back towards the other side of the island. Jyn watched her for a moment and then continued her path.

Soft piano music filled the church as afternoon was starting to turn to dusk. Candles were lit on the alter and the man in black that she had seen several days before was sitting at the piano, playing the music softly. She helped Bodhi sit down in a pew and then slowly approached the priest.

She stopped in front of the piano and he looked over at her. He faltered his playing, stopping and didn’t seem to know how to resume.

“F-Father,” she said, unsure how to talk to a priest. Bodhi had always been better at this stuff. She usually was beating up the other boys in the orphanage. Father Saw had always told her that she was better at being a soldier than at a schoolgirl.

He looked her over, seeing that she was dressed like someone from London, not from Scariff.

Cassian would have called her “my child” like he would with any parishioner, but for some reason he felt like he couldn’t say that to her. He didn’t realize that he didn’t know what to do with his hands suddenly and he stood up, a little too fast.

“Y-Yes?” he asked, suddenly incredibly nervous. Why was he nervous? He had seen the worst of humanity and been able to hold steady but she seemed to completely disarm him.

“Uh, my brother,” she said, indicating over her shoulder, “He… He needs someone…”

She trailed off, unsure what she was trying to say. Jyn had never been good with words. She just motioned with her hand and he looked at Bodhi sitting in the pew.

“He needs someone to talk to?” Cassian suggested. She nodded, unable to look away from his eyes now. Cassian softened completely and she was surprised. A moment ago she thought he might be ready to throw her out with how uncomfortable he looked.

“Why don’t you go pray to the Holy Mother, I will sit with your brother.”

She nodded, unsure what else to say and walked over to the altar. She had never been good at praying. What good was praying when most prayers were empty to begin with? She sat down in the second pew, trying to think of what to tell the Virgin Mary about, when she looked over her shoulder and saw Cassian just sit down near Bodhi, not speaking.  
That was a first. Usually priests or people in authority just started talking. They just kept grilling and asking questions. Cassian didn’t speak at all. He just sat there. They all sat in the church until finally Jyn could hear Bodhi’s voice.

“Father…” he mumbled, “I…”

He trailed off and Cassian said nothing. He did not encourage him to speak. Bodhi would speak when he was ready. He just shook his head and looked at Jyn.

“My sister says that you might need a caretaker,” he said, not looking at Cassian. This wasn’t what he’d wanted to say, but at least he was talking. Jyn stood up. Cassian looked over at her, feeling nervous again.

“Well, I was never the greatest housekeeper in the monestary. I bet I might need someone to tidy up around here if you can.”

Bodhi just nodded. He didn’t say anything else. He stood and Jyn was instantly walking back towards them. Cassian stood up at her approach and she looked at him for a moment.

“Thank you, Father, for your generosity.”

“Cassian.”

She looked at him, startled. He hadn’t meant to say it but for some reason he felt ill at ease with her calling him “father.”

“Please, I am Cassian Andor.”

“Jyn Erso. This is Bodhi Rook.”

“Well, come by tomorrow morning,, eight. Please. You can start with the sweeping,” Cassian said, addressing Bodhi, who had managed to give him a quick look before nodding and then heading out, Jyn right next to him. She looked over her shoulder back at Cassian and then left without another word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay for awkward first meetings in churches! Also St. Gerlamo is the Catholic patron saint of orphans.


	3. Forgive Me, Father

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thank you everyone who is liking this!! I am trying to get the characters right and fit into the prompt, so hopefully both are happening!

“The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his.” –General George Patton

It was about three in the morning when Cassian opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling and the sense of panic and terror taking hold of him, keeping him completely in place. He was breathing hard and trying to keep from panting hard. He was drenched in sweat and looking around rapidly, as if he couldn’t remember where he was for a moment. The crashing of the waves were making him think of the beach and he closed his eyes, trying to will the memories away.

Then there was another pounding sound. It had been what woke him up in the first place.

He sat up and then got up, grabbing his collar and going downstairs. The church door was never locked but they were closed for the night because it was starting to get cold.

He opened the door, finding a shivering Jyn Erso.

“Is he here?” she demanded, and he looked confused.

“Who?”

“Bodhi. Is he here?” she asked.

She was looking around but the emptiness of the dark church with only waning candles lighting it proved her brother was not there. Cassian hurried to fix his collar and Jyn instantly walked away, marching down the path. Cassian closed the door and hurried after her.

“Where are you going?”

“To find my brother.”

“Where would he go?” he asked, having to fight the wind and the sound of the crashing tide. It was all around him. He was starting to feel like he was back on that fucking beach. He had to stop, touching his palms to his eyes, refocus. Jyn kept walking.

“Wait!”

She stopped, turning to see him holding out a hand to stop her. She had only a flashlight in hand and looked like she was just going to be wandering around looking with no real direction. She was surprised by Cassian’s reaction and he walked closer.

“I’m sorry,” he said, blinking away the bloody sand from his memory. “I will help you find him.”

She didn’t speak. She just looked at him like he had offered her the last of his water in the middle of the desert. He had to look away as she pointed the flashlight in the direction of the Tower.

“If Bodhi didn’t go to the church, he might have gone towards town.”

“Why did your brother leave?” he asked, following her.

“He gets confused sometimes… he just…”

She didn’t know how to explain it.

“What did he do in the war?” Cassian asked, following her and having to shout over the waves. “Solider? Marine? Airman?”

She nodded at the last one. He nodded in return.

“Bodhi was a cargo pilot before the war. He would move anything and everything if you paid him. He was normal. And his flying skills were such a commodity at the time. He was recruited and went on more missions than I can count.”

She didn’t know why she was telling him this. The last time she had a conversation with a priest about anything personal was when her father died.

“Your brother was a POW.”

She looked at him, surprised. No one ever guessed that correctly. She wanted to asked him how he knew but he seemed to be able to read her mind.

“Takes one to know one,” he said simply and followed her towards the Tower.

Jyn would have asked more but she felt like this wasn’t the setting. That was something that was needed for the quiet of her kitchen or the church pews. She shook her head and thought of Bodhi.

They reached the Tower entrance where the main road towards town started. Thankfully the island wasn’t that big and it took them only a few minutes to find the square. The lights were all off, everyone tucked in for the long night. There was a light in the distance, a flashlight bobbing around and Jyn started running.

Bodhi was looking at the stars, wandering around. Thankfully he had thought to grab a flashlight. Unfortunately, he didn’t think to be wearing a jacket… or shoes.  
Jyn would have cried if she had the energy. She grabbed the jacket she was wearing and threw it around his shoulders, bringing his attention to her.

“Bodhi!” she cried, touching his cold cheeks.

“Jyn…” he muttered and seemed surprised to see her. Cassian came upon them and took Bodhi by the arm, throwing it over his shoulder.

“Hey, Bodhi, let’s get you home, yeah?”  
\---  
Bodhi was asleep on the couch under three blankets and Jyn was sitting at her dining room table with Cassian, covering her face with her hands.

“Does he do this a lot?”

“When we were in London, yeah. He hadn’t done it as much here…”

She leaned back in her chair, looking at her cold tea and then at his cold coffee. They had just been sitting there. Silent. She was surprised. Most priests liked giving her lectures for the sake of lectures. She noticed that Cassian didn’t do much talking.

“You said takes one to know one.”

He closed his eyes. He hadn’t meant to. Honestly. He was just so caught up in the moment.

She looked at the tea.

“You were in the war, yeah?”

“Who wasn’t?”

“I worked in an office, doing something a little different. I didn’t have to be out there, in the chaos. But I was there during the Blitz, every damn day I was there. If what I went through was barely a tenth of what my brother saw… then I am one lucky person.”

“You believe in luck?”

“No. I believe in survival. I survived and so did he.”

There was a long pause and he looked at her, as if this were an interrogation but it didn’t feel like he was wanting anything from her. He almost looked amused.

“I was six months from getting my Holy Orders when we heard about the invasion in Poland. I was duty bound by the church to continue my good works so I finished my orders and was sent to a hospital as a chaplin in France for six more months. It was the worst months of my life, I thought. I buried more people than I blessed, I think. Then I was moved to a fighting unit, I was going behind the lines with the men. To give them courage. That’s what the cardinal said.”

She didn’t say anything. She just watched him with that same intense look she had when her brother was missing, like every emotion was feeling needed to be in her eyes.

“I was then moved to the Pacific. There was little fighting for a while and I was grateful. But then the Americans and their army came and God, I don’t think I had ever seen that much blood in my life.”

He was smiling but there was no humor.

“Two years, I watched those men fight and die and bleed. I was with them every step of the way. My prayers reached unfeeling ears and I had to look at those men about to die that there was a God when clearly there wasn’t one.”

She didn’t look away.

“I was there when they invaded Okinawa. I was with one of the first units. I was captured along with two other men. The men died in the first two days of our imprisonment. I didn’t know why I was spared but I was. Spared and put into a labor camp. I spent nine months there before I was liberated.”

She didn’t look away.

“You weren’t liberated.”

He looked up, surprised. She looked unmoved.

“You escaped, but you weren’t liberated. That’s why the Church put you on this fucking island in the middle of the ocean. Your soul is still back there.”

He was suddenly on the beach, watching everything on fire, watching men screaming and crying and seeing his rescuers coming towards him. He had his hands in the air, shaking and crying. They had to drag him from the sand, he was so bloody and bruised and broken.

“You escaped, that prison camp, I bet. You escaped and you killed everyone who tried to hurt you, and you saved yourself because you’re a survivor.”

He stood up, violently. He hadn’t meant to but he was suddenly sweating and scared and she looked unmoved.

“I see it in your eyes.”

“You don’t know anything.”

He didn’t say anything else, just left her sitting alone in her dinning room with their cold cups and the crashing of the waves in his wake.  
\---  
Jyn didn’t know what to say to Bodhi in the morning. She found him sitting peacefully at the table as if nothing had happened. He waited for her to make him a lunch so he could go to the church and start his new occupation as janitor for the good Father Andor, as he was now called in her mind when she particularly annoyed, which this morning she was, and instead pretended like nothing had happened.

“Something wrong?” he asked when she finished his lunch pail and handed it to him.

“Yes, but it’s nothing to do with you.”

Bodhi was never one to pry. So he just nodded and hugged her goodbye and she watched him make the trek up the hill towards the church. She watched for a long moment and heard her name.

“Jyn!”

She turned and saw Mon Mothma coming towards her.

“Mayor,” she said, pulling her jacket around her tighter. Mon Mothma was an intimidating woman and rarely did you get a visit from her that didn’t end in her getting her way.

“Are you coming to the Bacanalia tonight? The Tower is going to host a large party after the ceremony.”

“A party?”

“Yes, Mr. Krennic came to me this morning. He thought that perhaps he might feel more like he belonged on the island now that it will be his permanent home if he were to participate in one of our most important rituals. He is going to have a party and everyone on the island is invited.”

“I guess this includes me,” she said flatly.

“As the only school teacher on the island, it’s important that everyone know who you are. And the Tower is footing the bill so I can’t imagine that you would have any reason not to come.”

“Is the Good Father Andor coming?”

“I already invited him to the festival, he will go to the party as well.”

Jyn doubted that Cassian had agreed to the party he clearly didn’t know anything about. Mayor Mothma was probably going to spring that on him tonight. Jyn would have pitied him if they weren’t in some weird sort of fight right now.

“Well then I will be there and so will Bodhi. Unless there are going to be fireworks.”

“Too stormy for that. I already told that to the Tower. Don’t want any unnecessary fires.”

“Then you can expect us both.”

“Good.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Jyn and Cassian don't strike me as the type of people who can just have a cup of coffee without getting into a fight about something that ends with one of them storming off.


	4. Festival of the Sea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update, but I have the entire day off so I am going to write as much as possible.

Chapter Four  
Festival of the Sea

“You cannot simultaneously prevent and prepare for war.” –Albert Einstein

“Are you going to the Bacanalia, Father?”

Cassia was standing at the altar, changing out candles as Bodhi finished his morning sweep and was working on polishing some candle holders. He was a quiet worker but a hard one and he had finished every task without complaint. It seemed that he had no recollection of the night before and so Cassian did not ask.

“Yes, the Mayor is making me go.”

“The Mayor can get anything she wants. She’s shifty.”

“All politicians are.”

He was silent and then a thought tugged at his brain and before he could bury it deep into the ground and set it on fire, he set it free like a bird.

“Is your sister coming?”

“Jyn?”

Cassian regretted the question already.

“I suppose she should be. Being the island’s only teacher and all. She won’t want to go. She doesn’t like wearing dresses and dancing at parties.”

Cassian could not imagine a moment when Jyn liked either of those things. She was like most of the women on the island, always wearing pants. That wasn’t exactly rare on the island, since the sea was at constant war with their clothing, but it strange from being a girl from London. He imagined that the minute women were wearing pants, Jyn ditched her skirts and went right for the brown baggy pants she was wearing the other night. Not that Cassian had noticed. He was not thinking about Jyn in anything. Not- wait. Not thinking about her clothes, or out of clothes or-

“Father?”

Cassian had dropped to his knees and was crossing himself, feeling incredibly stupid and guilty.

“Sorry, I just felt like I need some time with God,” he said quickly, getting up and leaving Bodhi to stare after him.  
\---  
Cassian’s “Time with God” lasted almost two hours, mostly of him pacing around like an idiot and trying to figure out what to do about his sudden feelings towards Jyn Erso.

Until he had ever looked at her, honestly, Cassian never really looked at anyone. He had been in the monastery for so long, he was used to being around men and the occasional women came to confess their sins, nothing more.

But from the first time he’d looked at her until now, Cassian was not thinking of Jyn Erso as a sheep among his flock of parishioners. He even told her to call him by his first name for God’s sake. He pressed his forehead against the cool concrete and prayed to God that he was going to be able to be forgiven for being so stupid.

The clock struck six and he returned to the ground floor and found Bodhi putting away his cleaning things.

“Running back home for a quick freshen up before the party. See you there tonight, Father?”

“Of course, Bodhi. See you then.”  
\---  
Jyn stared at the dresses on the bed. They weren’t hers. The widow down the road had given them to her and they were both terrible options. One was too blue and the other was too red. So she just sighed, grabbed her jacket and left for the kitchen. She caught a glimpse of her hair as she passed a mirror, stopped, fixed it a little and continued on her way.

“Ready?” Bodhi asked, fixing his hat on his head. He looked far better than she did and she smiled a little.

“Lead the way, sir,” she said, and took his offered arm. She followed him out into the quiet night. The sea was calm, which was surprising. The music from the town square was filling the air and more music came from the direction of the Tower. Jyn stole a glance towards the church and saw that it was lit up with candles and she had to tear her eyes away and look at the ground.

They walked to the square and were greeted with laughing, dancing and festival life everywhere. The children, what four there were, were running around without supervision and Jyn looked around at all of the familiar faces.

Then she stopped, losing her grip on Bodhi as he broke away to look at some cakes at a stand as she spotted the good Father Andor standing near the massive fire that they had built up on the edge of the cliff where the town ended. He was standing there, just looking into the flames as people walked around and talked, passing him by.

She rubbed the palms of her hands against her pants and walked towards him.

“Father Andor,” she said, and he turned, surprised to see her. He was instantly stiff, as if they were strangers.

“Miss Erso,” he said.

So that was how it was going to be? She made a face and looked at the fire.

“I see you are admiring the traditional Call to the Sea.”

He looked at the fire.

“The Call to the Sea?”

“The island people believe that if we light a fire here, someone will see it. And come. That’s the plan anyway. That someone will get our messages and provide answers to questions we didn’t think to ask, I guess.”

“You’re sending a message?”

He wasn’t talking about the fire.

“I think that people should be honest, no matter what. If they are making a wish or just talking to each other. Honesty is better than anything else.”

He did not say anything. He wanted to, but he had already said too much. He was feeling too much. He turned and faced her. She reacted with straightening her back and looking at him like she was edging for a fist fight and he wanted more than anything to say something witty but the sound of the Mayor’s voice called their attention. It was time to start the ceremony.  
\---  
Bodhi was holding a candle, staring into the flame, watching it flicker with his unsteady breathing. The others in the village had finished the prayer to the Sea but he was still thinking about the words and thinking about the sky. He had no interest in the sea.

“Bodhi.”

He turned and looked up slowly to the sound of his sister’s voice. He saw the Father behind her.

“Good evening, Father Andor,” he said, and Jyn looked over her shoulder to glare at Cassian. Apparently he had decided to sneak up on her after the prayer, of which he seemed rather disinterested in and joined the Mayor in a private conversation.

“Good evening,” he said, and looked at Jyn. “Miss Erso.”

“Father Andor,” she replied flatly and he made a face. He didn’t like her calling him that. It felt strange and unnatural. She didn’t like calling him that either but seeing the pure annoyance on his face was worth the discomfort.

“I am glad that you decided to come,” Bodhi said, “Jyn didn’t want to but when she heard that you were coming she was really excited.”

Jyn’s smug look dropped as she looked at her brother in pure horror. How in the hell had he known that she was actually really glad to know that Cassian was going to be there? Maybe she was more obvious than she thought. Cassian tried not to look thrilled but he failed and a quick glance at an uncomfortable Jyn made everything sweeter.

“I am glad that I could make it. It’s an interesting notion, asking the sea for food when God should be the one to provide, but no one said that a little faith in something bigger could hurt anyone.”

“I thought that you would be more towards the big G than a little one,” Jyn said, looking at Cassian.

“People need to believe in something, anything, like you said. Hope usually is more powerful than anything else.”

“Hope?” she repeated.

“Religions are built on hope. Hope that gods are merciful, that the tide comes in, the tide goes out, that the harvest comes in this year. Hope is what got me home.”

He looked away, as if he were remembering something and she thought about his words and the beach. He had survived on hope. It was the only thing he had. His faith was almost breathtaking. Jyn had to have proof standing right in front of her to believe in something. Anything. And Cassian took so much on faith it was impressive. Stupid, but impressive. She guessed a priest had to have a lot of answers to questions no one really thinks about. Believing in something unseen must be one of them.

“Are you going to the party at the Tower?” Bodhi asked, as if he had just now joined the conversation.

“Uh, I wasn’t…” he started but the look on Jyn’s face made him trail off. It was as if she was trying to ask him to go with her eyes. She would never say anything out loud but her eyes spoke volumes. How could someone have so much to say and yet never really talked much? He just looked at her and then at the ground.

“Uh, I mean, I guess I can stay for a little longer,” he said, and was almost knocked over by the pure relief on Jyn’s face that he was coming. He didn’t know why but he felt like maybe he was getting a little lightheaded.

They decided to all go together to the Tower for the party, finding the trail of candles already making their way there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cassian and Jyn just staring at each other with intense emotions neither understand just makes me so happy. Bonus- Bohdi holding a candle and just staring off into space is a mood.


	5. The Tower on Scariff

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry this took so long to update. I just finished a two week work stint and finally got a day off!!

“The soldier above all prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war.” –Douglas MacArthur

“May the peace of the Lord be with you!”

Cassian instantly in his mind went to the age old “And also with you” but was annoyed because that was not his part. He looked at the front steps of the Tower and saw a man sitting on the steps, saying this heartily to everyone who entered. 

He was the Chinese man that the Mayor had told him about. He was holding out his hat as people passed, happy to collect whatever he could get his hands on. 

“Doing the Lord’s Work, Brother Churrit,” Jyn said sarcastically and he smiled at her.

“Ah, Jyn. Glad that you could make it to the Tower. And Father Andor, I presume. I have been unable to get to the church Father, these past few days, so I had yet to officially meet you.”

The blind man stood up and took Cassian’s hand, shaking it firmly and he had a mischievous feeling about him that Cassian was wary of. But he noticed that Jyn was instantly completely at ease, so there was nothing to be concerned about. Another wayward soul for him to worry about the salvation of.

“Good evening, son,” Cassian said, shaking the man’s hand and he stood up, heading inside with them.

“I was wondering when we would finally meet,” Churrit said, Bodhi leading the way up the steps.

“I was wondering the same, I would have thought you’d be at the church since I hear that you have been preaching the good word there every day before my arrival.”

“Well, I was at first, but I find that I am no priest, better disciple than anything else. And people around here tend to not quite appreciate a man like myself telling them what to do.”

Cassian hadn’t even had the chance to perform a mass yet, and he was already feeling the same way. They reached the top of the stairs and heard the loud music inside. They found that the entire town had trickled in and the massive tower was fully lit and in swing. There was dancing and a bar. Churrit moved to find someone else and Cassian lost Bodhi in the crowd. He looked over to see that Jyn was still near but he had a feeling that she wouldn’t want to stay in his presence for long.

“Do you dance?” he asked.

She looked surprised, as if she just noticed that they were abandoned just now. She looked around as if expecting her brother there, but was alone.

“Uh…” she said, looking back at him as if to say something when the sound of a loud scream stopped everything. Cassian and Jyn looked at the massive marble staircase and found a woman hurrying down, screaming and covered in blood.

“Someone help me!” she screamed. Cassian started for the stairs, hurrying up them and finding Jyn right next to him.

“What’s wrong? Are you hurt?” he asked.

“Upstairs!” she cried, falling onto the steps and crying. Downstairs the villagers were all talking and scared. Jyn went ahead, and much to Cassian’s surprise, pulled out a gun from under her jacket as if she were a policeman. He followed her up the stairs, staying one step behind her.

“Where’d that come from?” he asked quietly. He had a weapon as well, from his time in the war, but it was safely tucked in his mattress back at the church. He wished he had it now.

“A girl’s got her own secrets,” she said, and they followed the trail of blood the maid left in her wake. They reached a large library and the doors were hanging open. She looked at Cassian and then went around the corner, finding a single body lying on the floor. She moved through the room but it was clear.

Cassian came around the corner and crossed himself when he saw the body of a young housemaid, lying in a deeply large pool of her own blood, shot. There was a lot of blood spatter and footprints from the other maid. She was probably trying to help her up when she got covered and took off running. Cassian went to the body and checked.

“She’s dead.”  
\---  
There had not been a murder on Scariff since the days when Vikings raided everything in sight. It took two hours for a boat from the mainland to come with the police. There were no police on Scariff, it was much too small.

Cassian was giving last rites to the body and saying a prayer when the detective finally entered the room.

“Father Andor, I ask that you please step away from the body.”

Cassian knew that voice. He turned and standing in a smart suit and jacket was none other than his old army buddy, Kaytoo Eso, a British intelligence officer, a part of his unit. His sharp features and striking blonde hair made him look as German as the next man and perfect for spy work. He had been a very quiet man but found friendship with Cassian.

“Kaytoo,” he said, standing up and hugging the newcomer. Jyn straightened from where she had been leaning in the doorway.

“Who’s this then?” she asked, looking the detective over.

“Detective Kaytoo Eso,” Kaytoo said sharply, eyeing her, “Formally a Captain in the British Army.”

“Kaytoo and I served together,” Cassian said, looking at Jyn and smiled reassuringly. She made a face and crossed her arms.

“Interesting that you’re here investigating this now,” she said, looking the detective over.

“Well, this island might be Spanish, but the victim was a British citizen on visa, so Scotland Yard sent me. I happened to be in Madrid, so I made the trip over, naturally. And who is this?”

“Jyn Erso,” she said, refusing his outstretched hand and he took a hold of his notebook from his jacket.

“Jyn Erso. You found the body?” he asked, and she shook her head.

“Maid did. The girl was shot.”

“You have a gun on you, I see,” he said, though Jyn had returned her weapon to her jacket, so Cassian couldn’t see how he knew it was there.

“I have a pistol, yes. But I didn’t shoot anyone.”

“I never said you did.”

“Enough, the both of you. This girl was murdered. Let’s focus, please,” Cassian said and they both looked at him.

“Yes, Detective Father Andor,” Kaytoo said sarcastically and went around him, going towards the body. The other policemen started filing in, taking pictures and speaking in low voices. Cassian and Jyn approached the body with Kaytoo. He pulled back the bedsheet that Cassian had asked cover the body until they arrive, so the poor girl wasn’t exposed to the eyes of the onlookers from downstairs.

“Jyn?”

She looked up to see the timid Bodhi standing at the door, looking worried. He paused and went inside of the room, not looking at the body but focusing on his sister.

“I was going to go home, but I didn’t want to leave you,” he muttered, Cassian looking at the girl under the sheet.

“You don’t want to see this,” Jyn said gently, looking over her shoulder and he nodded. “Why don’t you go ahead and I will be there as soon as this detective let’s me go.”

He nodded and left her quietly, Kaytoo standing up and moving around the body.

“What do you think?” Cassian asked, and he shrugged.

“One shot, right to the chest. Girl bled out slowly, so that means it wasn’t meant to be quick. She suffered, for at least an hour or two,” Kaytoo said, and Jyn walked back over, crossing her arms.

“No one heard a gunshot, the music must have been too loud.”

“Thank you, Detective Erso,” Kaytoo said, and Cassian moved to stand next to Jyn.

“How did the maid find her?” Cassian asked.

“What do you mean?” Jyn asked, looking at him. He looked around the room, pointing out the features.”

“The Bachanalia is going on outside, there are loud prayers and a fire going, music so loud that no one can think straight, and yet the maid came wandering in here looking for another maid? Seems odd, don’t you think?”

“Okay, who’s the detective here?” Kaytoo said, sounding exasperated.

“Why the library?” Jyn asked, turning and facing Cassian. “Seems like a rather odd place to get shot. Why was she even in here?”

“Good question,” he said, turning and mimicking her stance. Kaytoo threw up his hands.

“Look, the two of you are civilians, you are not police. So please stop having conversations like you know what you’re talking about.”

“Kaytoo, you may be a brilliant detective, but you don’t know this island, Jyn does,” Cassian said, looking at him, “You’re not going to get what you want out of the locals, they won’t trust you. Jyn is the only person who’d be able to get them talking.”

“What about you?” Kaytoo asked, crossing his arms.

“I am a priest, anything that anyone confesses to me is private, I can’t tell anyone,” he said, as if it were obvious. “And honestly I have only been here a few days, no one trusts me yet, either.”

“Fine then. Detective Erso,” he said, emphasizing the word ‘detective,’ “What do you think happened here?”

“I don’t know,” she said, making a face, “But I do know that if you want that kind of information, you need to know who this girl was.”

“Miss Tara Masters,” a voice said and they turned to look at the entrance. Standing there was the man in white, Orson Krennic.

“Mr. Krennic, I presume,” Kaytoo said, straightening and putting his hands behind his back. Probably more out of military habit than actually being a policeman. Cassian found himself straightening a little as well. The man was wearing a white suit and carrying himself like a military officer, and smiled at them both.

“I am, sir. I just returned from telegramming the poor girl’s mother. She came to work for me about two months ago.”

Cassian looked at the body under the sheet. He remembered that name. Why? He closed his eyes and tried to remember.  
\---  
“Father?”

He looked up from the piano, surprised to see someone so early in the afternoon coming into the church. It had been empty all day. He turned and faced her.

“Yes, my child?”

“I wish to know when I may confess?” she asked, looking nervous. He smiled.

“Anytime. Please,” he said, indicating to the booth but she shook her head.

“Not now… I just… wanted to…”

She trailed off and looked at the entrance like she was waiting for something. He stood up but she moved towards the door.

“I will come back again, thank you, Father.”  
\---  
He looked at Jyn and she seemed to understand him, but did not say anything. He looked at Kaytoo.

“Well, Detective, if you don’t need us, we will go ahead and leave you for the evening,” he said, and reached out, gently taking Jyn by the elbow. She looked surprised but did not pull away like he thought she might and they both left the library quickly, heading down the marble staircase quickly.

“What’s going on?”

“That girl, she came to confess something to me the first day we met,” he said, talking quietly, “But she never told me what it was, she ran off before she could gather the courage. But I have a feeling it might have been why she was murdered.”

“Then why aren’t you saying that to Detective Asshole back there?”

“Because I know Kaytoo, he’s an excellent person, but he’s a terrible liar, and if he knew that I knew something, he wouldn’t be able to hide it. If we want to find out the truth, we’re going to have to do things a little under the radar.”

“We?” she asked, as they reached the bottom of the stairs. He looked at her.

“Well, who else do I know carries a pistol in her jacket to a party?” he asked, smiling and she made a face.

“Funny.”

“I mean it, Jyn, if we’re going to find out who killed this girl, we’re going to have to work together.”

She paused, as if thinking about it. Clearly she didn’t want to get involved, but Cassian had a valid point. This was clearly a dangerous situation and he seemed like the type who could get himself shot at easily. And while he was a priest, she wasn’t, so anything they learned, she could repeat. She nodded at him finally.

“Fine, but we tell my brother everything so he doesn’t worry. Meet me at my house in the morning.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A quick intro of Detective Kaytoo, but we will be exploring his character soon I promise!!!


	6. Secrets and Lies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry this is so freaking late- I straight up was so violently ill that I was having a hard time eating and sleeping. It took over my life for almost a week and a half and forever to recover. So I am crazy sorry. But luckily I have an excellent background story chapter for everyone!

Chapter Six

Secrets And Lies

 

“Circumstances cause us to act the way we do. We should bear this in mind when judging others.” –Thor Heyerdahl

November 1944

“Where is he?” 

“Captain Kaytoo,” the man at the door said, surprised to see him.

“Where is Lt. Andor?”

“The father is in there,” the man said, looking at the door behind him. Kaytoo stared intensely until the inferior officer figured out that the captain wanted inside of the room.

“Uh, hold on sir,” he said, fiddling with the door and opening it, and Kaytoo stepped inside.

It had been two years and five months since he saw Cassian.

He had been called away from the unit just before it was deployed to the beaches, where everyone was either killed or captured. He had been chosen for a spy missions since he had been a great huntsman in his time before the war and would get along well with the mark. He had promised Cassian a drink the next time they saw each other. He didn’t have a drink with him now and he hated that he had forgotten to grab a bottle of brandy at least, considering the circumstances.

But seeing Cassian now? He was glad he’d forgotten it.

Cassian was a shell of the person Kaytoo had remembered.

He was extremely malnourished, almost a hundred pounds, and his features were sharper than Kaytoo remembered. He had a cup of frigid coffee in front of him that he hadn’t touched and was shivering even though there was a blanket wrapped over his shoulders.

He was staring straight ahead but it seemed that he didn’t even notice Kaytoo standing there. The officer coughed and then moved and sat down, removing his hat and placing it very carefully on the table.

The last time they’d been together they were playing a game of chess and Kaytoo was asking the importance of religion to Cassian. He had been such an avid pastor and preached all kinds of a good word to the men. He was well-liked and respected. Kaytoo gave him a hard time of it throughout their short time together.

“Lt. Andor.”

Cassian automatically snapped to attention, staring at Kaytoo now and it took only a few moments for recognition to fill his empty eyes.

“Captain,” he said, surprised to see him there.

“I had heard you were liberated. I had been hoping you’d been in a prison camp or something, rather than the alternative.”

Cassian did not look grateful, or liberated.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, looking around the tent. It was a quick set up put together in a fishing village, one of the few standing half-buildings that housed the food and supplies to be sent up the line as the men marched.

“I was in London when I heard what happened to you. That they finally found you and brought you here. General Thomas owes me for some vital intel I was able to get undercover, so I got on a plane and was brought here instantly. I needed to see that you were fine myself.”

Cassian didn’t say anything. He would have grateful if he could remember what gratitude was. He wished he could remember any emotion that didn’t come from fear.

“Have you been debriefed?”

“Several times.”

Cassian said it so bitterly. Kaytoo ignored his venom.

“Well, I just wanted to make sure that you were in fact alive. I assume that this means you’re going home”

Cassian looked surprised.

“Home?”

Did he even remember that place anymore? Did he ever really have one? He knew the monastery, but they wouldn’t take him back with what was going on in the War, they’d expect him to keep preaching the Good Word to the Japanese heathens and the Russian Communists.

“Are you not going home? I think two years in a labor camp allows you the chance to get some rest.”

Cassian let out a bitter, angry, vengeful and frightened laugh.

“Rest?” he asked, as if the thought was so insane, as if Kaytoo just asked him to fly to the moon and bring back a cool rock for him to look at. There was no rest after this. After the things he’d seen. There was nothing but emptiness awaiting him, no matter where he went.

“Lt. Andor,” Kaytoo said firmly and the voice of command automatically silence Cassian and he sat at attention again.

“Well, I guess that means that you are going to keep fighting then, eh? Well, at least I get to give you some good news then. You’re getting an award and getting a new rank- you’ll be Captain Andor, now. The chaps back home were rather excited to hear your story and want everyone to know what a great hero you are.”  
Cassian would rather go home and never be heard from again.

“Can I refuse this honor?” he asked, clearly not wanting to be called a hero.

“No, His Majesty’s Government won’t hear of it. Now, get off your ass, get back into a uniform and go get your medal if you’re not going home. And then get your ass back onto the front lines.”

Kaytoo didn’t mean to be harsh but he was annoyed. This man wasn’t anything like the Cassian Andor he’d known. He had been broken. Like so many others. But men in war needed to bury their feelings if they weren’t going to face them head on. He stood and Cassian considered not standing for a moment, but he wasn’t a captain yet and technically Kaytoo was his superior at the moment. He stood and saluted and the blanket fell on the chair, and Kaytoo saw the shadow of the man he’d once liked and admired.  
\----  
December 1939

Jyn Erso sat in the kitchen of her family home in London when she heard the front door open and close.

“Bodhi?” she asked, standing up quickly and hurrying to the front door. He was standing there, all smiles. He was wearing a uniform and taking off his hat.

“You didn’t.”

“I did,” he said, grinning and laughing. She hugged him tightly, trying not to cry.

“Does Papa know?” she asked, letting him go reluctantly.

“Not yet, but I am sure that tonight at dinner he’ll find out.”

She looked away, seeing his bag already packed at his feet. He was going to war. She was scared to death. She may never see her brother again. Her sweet, innocent, dumb brother that she swore to protect the rest of their natural lives. He was going to be in a plane and she was going to be here.

“Well, then I guess I should tell you something. But you can’t tell Papa.”

“What is it?” he asked, curious.

“I have been recruited into the service as well.”

“You’re going to be a nurse?” he asked, confused. Jyn would probably kill more people than actually help heal.

“No, I have been recruited to be a code breaker. In the fight against the Germans, we’re going to have all kinds of fronts and I have already been told where I am going. I am telling Papa that I am going to be a nurse so he won’t get suspicious.”

“Being a code breaker sounds far more likely,” he said and earned a punch in the arm for it.

“When do you start?”

“Next week,” she said, and looked at his bag. He was going to be gone. Papa was going to be so heartbroken. He had already been recruited into the military’s science division, so he was going to be serving as well, but knowing that his children were both serving and put at risk was going to be difficult for him. Bodhi looked optimistic, though.

“I am going to fly planes all over the world, Jyn. This is my chance.”

She smiled, and hugged him again. She had a feeling it would be the last one for a long time.  
\----  
The waves crashed hard against the rocks outside of the house and Jyn stared into the darkness, sunrise approaching. Bodhi was still sleeping, no nightmares tonight, and she was in the silence alone. She thought about Cassian and the dead girl. That girl deserved justice. Someone walked into that room and killed her, left her there on display like a doll. Jyn was cleaning her gun, one of her few pleasurable activities, when there was a soft knock at the door.

She opened it to find Cassian standing there, looking like he hadn’t slept.

“Cassian.”

She had forgotten she was angry at him and only calling him Father Andor, and he was grateful. He liked it when she called him by his first name.

“Jyn,” he said, and she let him inside. He sat down at the table and observed her unfinished gun sitting on the table as she got him some coffee.

“So how are we going to figure out how that girl got shot? Is your detective friend going to help us out?” she asked, setting down the cup and finishing work on her gun.

“No, Kaytoo was always by the book. He’s a terrible liar, very straight forward. It’s better to do this ourselves.”

“Then what’s the plan?”

“The morning she came to me, the maid seemed agitated. She wanted to talk to me but she couldn’t seem to figure out how to. So I am thinking that I am probably not the first person she went to with her worries.” Cassian said, looking around the house.

“A friend? Another maid?” she asked, looking up from her gun.

“We have to question them.”

“Getting back into the Tower is going to be difficult. They locked that place up tight before the party. White Suit doesn’t exactly like having people prying into his personal life.”

“That’s why I think the funeral will be the perfect place to talk to them. Everyone on the island is going to be there in support of the poor girl on Saturday.” He said, looking at the water through the large windows.

“What are we going to do in the meantime?”

“You have any old contacts from the War that might be helpful?” he asked, taking a sip of the coffee. He wondered if she always made it this great. Or maybe it was just the company.

“A few… I know one person who could help us. Saw Gurrera. He was my superior when I was in the military,” she said, stopping short of saying what she’d done in the war. It was still very top secret and the others had been sworn to secrecy for the longest time.

“I was wondering about the pistol. So you served?”

She nodded. She didn’t strike him as the spy type, too blunt, like Kaytoo, who was only as good as a spy as long as he wasn’t actually lying. Luckily he’d always been good at omitting truths or technicalities to get by. But no, Jyn wasn’t the type. She could have been a Resistance fighter, but she was English and she had said that she was in London most of the war. He didn’t realize that he even remembered that kind of detail. So there were only a handful of jobs he could think of that she might have been involved with. Maybe a factory worker? But she certainly knew her way around a weapon, so that was at least basic training right there. So she was military for sure. Maybe a rogue faction? He was thinking about this and she finished putting her gun back together, cocking it and he returned to the moment.

“So, we find out who killed that poor girl. I will get in touch with Saw, you will do, what exactly?”

“I am going to tell Kaytoo the truth, it’s easier than trying to get around him. And then contact a few friends from the military as well to help us.”

She nodded solemnly.

“Fine. But you swear that Bodhi doesn’t find out what we’re up to,” she said, and he nodded. A sound indicated a door opening, Bodhi was awake. She quickly put the gun into a drawer and tidied up the table. Probably best her brother didn’t know that Jyn casually had guns around the house. Cassian stood when Bodhi entered the room.

“Father Andor,” he said, surprised to see him.

“Just came to see how you were doing. And your sister, of course,” he said, trying to seem friendly but feel suddenly uneasy. He had been far too comfortable talking to Jyn. The moment Bodhi walked in, it was like his senses were on high alert again. He had been too calm talking to Jyn about a murder investigation. He looked quickly at Jyn and then said his goodbyes, leaving Bodhi and Jyn to their breakfast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh look at that, Bodhi happy for about 2.5 seconds for everyone. So glad when a soft sweet boy is going to be murdered in the future. I promise Baze and Churrit in the next chapter!!!


	7. Better Call Saw

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter up. Sorry about the confusion on the last one about Bodhi. I promise he is okay. And he will join the action soon- he isn't going to let Jyn sideline him for too long I promise!!

“All war is man’s failure to be a thinking animal.” –John Steinbeck

Saw Guerrera had been from the Department of War in the United States originally. He had been Jyn’s superior and a friend of her father’s. He came to London to start a group he called Saw’s Rebels- men and women who were going to be code breakers for the war. He had been a relentless overseer, constantly looking at them, going over their notes and a day without a broken code or message was a failure in his eyes.

Jyn had been one of his best breakers, she was there from dawn until dusk. But by the end of the war, Jyn was done. She was tired. How many messages of dead children, bombings or fallen cities did she intercept? How many casualty reports or constant need for reinforcement did she read? She read letters from parents to children, communications between spouses, memos from Hitler himself. She sat at her desk every day and felt more helpless than anyone in the world.

She decided to start going to a gun range every day to practice her shooting. It was the only relief she had from the thoughts in her head. That and the fact that Bodhi had stopped sending her letters for six months- she felt completely alone.

Her father had been constantly working in the War Department with the other scientists, and it was clearly taking a toll. And not hearing from his son was making his condition worse. Jyn hated seeing her father worry constantly.

And then the Raids started. Where it was a likely event that they wouldn’t see each other ever again after one bad night.

Jyn closed her eyes and pushed these memories away.

They were done, gone. She needed to focus on the moment.

She lifted the telephone receiver in the booth in the square. It was the only phone on the island and getting a call there was important and no one liked waiting. She put in the number and after two rings he answered.

“Saw.”

“Jyn?”

He was surprised to hear from her. The last time they saw each other was when they had gotten the news that the War was over and that they were to burn everything and get out of the building immediately.

“I need a favor.”

This wasn’t a social call, and he seemed to understand that. Something in her voice screamed urgent.

“What is going on?”

She explained the situation pretty quickly and he listened without interruption.

“So the police don’t know anything?”

“Well the asshole in charge doesn’t strike me as the type to know what he’s really doing. Cassian- F-Father Andor seems to think that this might have something to do with the girl trying to confess something to him.”

“I will get to work on the girl’s history. Not a lot of young women going to remote islands in Spain without a paper trail.”

He was quiet for a moment and she knew what he was thinking.

“I am fine here, Saw.”

The last time they had seen each other he’d given her that pitol and told her “good luck.” She cleaned it every day since.

“I will wire you when I have everything together.”

“Thanks.”

She hung up without a goodbye because she knew that she didn’t need to say it. She stepped out of the booth and into the brisk afternoon.

“Jyn!”

She turned and saw the mayor coming towards her.

“Awful news about the girl at the Tower,” she said, and Jyn nodded, unsure what to really say.

“You were there too, Mayor?”

“Everyone was. I doubt the police are going to have their work easily done for them, the entire island was there. But I wonder about the girl’s family. I assume that they are coming to take her back to England.”

“I wouldn’t know,” she replied and turned to head off.

“Jyn.”

She paused, looking over her shoulder. The Mayor had a very neutral but frightening look on her face. As if she were trying to convey something. She didn’t say anything for a moment.

“I always wondered about what you did in the War.”

Jyn remained silent.

“I was in Istanbul, I was working as an ambassador for the nurses there. We were having a hell of a time getting the men to allow us to touch them, religion or some such thing. I would tell the patients that we aren’t women, we are warriors, just like them. And that you should never underestimate the power of a warrior, in or out of wartime.”

Jyn didn’t know what that meant. She remained silent.

“If you or Bodhi need anything, just let me know.”

Jyn only nodded and continued down the path back to her house. The children were gathering for afternoon lessons and she shifted her focus to the present.  
\---  
Cassian was sitting in the church, praying for guidance. He knew that he needed to seek justice for the young woman’s murder, but he didn’t know where to start. He was thinking about his contacts in the military and other clergy he could talk to. He was going to need to speak to his bishop at least. The thought of having to call Draken to explain a murder in his parish on his second week on the island seemed like a chore he did not want to undertake.

“A father alone in his church.”

Cassian looked up and over to see Kaytoo standing there, dressed in full uniform and looking rather bored. He never really understood Cassian or his religion, but he never meant offense. Besides, it seemed rather obvious that Kaytoo saw his religion as a solace for the things that Cassian had suffered.

He suppressed the beach and returned his gaze to the altar.

“Just a bit of light praying.”

“Well, I was going to say it last night but I didn’t get the chance- It is good to see you again, Cassian.”

Cassian looked down at his folded hands.

“But you need to stay away from this.”

Cassian gripped his hands together a little tighter.

“I can’t let this go. That girl didn’t deserve to die. How’d you know I was going to look into it anyway?”

“Well, I have to stay in town while I am here, and I saw that very annoying little woman standing in a phone booth this morning, and I asked the woman at the inn, she said she’d never once seen that woman use that phone the entire six months she’s been living here. I am not stupid.”

“You aren’t? Could have fooled me,” a voice said and they both turned to see Jyn standing there. Cassian hurried to stand up. She was wearing her gun under her jacket and looking at Kaytoo.

“Miss Erso,” Kaytoo said, standing up slowly and putting his hands behind his back. At his full height he was a head taller than Cassian but even at that high Cassian was pretty sure that Jyn could kill him, especially with the way she was staring at him now.

“I think it might be better if we work together,” Cassian piped in, stepping between the two.

“Work together? With the second-rate Bobby who doesn’t know anything about this island or what’s going on in the Tower? That’s a great idea.”

“Second-rate?”

“Jyn. We need to find out who did this. Kaytoo can help.”

“Well, two more hands should be helpful too, huh?”

They all looked at the entrance and Churrit was standing there with his cane and grinning. Standing next to him was Baze Malbus, the men often seen together in town. Jyn assumed that they were living together at the other end of the island. Probably away from prying eyes.

“What is going on with all of these civilians wanting to get in my way?” Kaytoo asked, exasperated.

“Churrit, how are you going to be able to help us?” Cassian asked. The man smiled in his direction.

“Baze served in the Revolutionary Army, he is good in a fight. And I know this island better than any of you,” Churrit said, titling his head. This didn’t feel like a debate. Jyn looked at Cassian. He shrugged a little. He wasn’t ungrateful for more help, but it was getting a little crowded in the small church.

“Listen, you are all private citizens, you cannot possibly be allowed to run around as you please,” Kaytoo said, looking around the room.

“Well, we’re going to do what we want, better to work with us than be worrying about working against us,” Jyn said, and Kaytoo hated her logic. He was weak when it came to that kind of thought process. He looked at Cassian.

“Fine. If you are going to be like that. But I cannot officially be seen with you. I will continue my investigation as I see fit, you can do as you please as long as you report everything back to me.”

They all nodded.

“Captain Andor,” Kaytoo said, looking at Cassian, “I assume you can keep the rabble in check. He side-eyed Jyn in particular.

“I will shoot you,” she muttered under her breath.

“What can you tell us about the girl?” Cassian asked.

They moved to sit down among the pews, Jyn standing and scanning around the room, in case Bodhi came inside. She still wanted to keep him out of this. The thought of her being involved in trouble could upset him. She didn’t want him to worry.

“Her name is Rebecca Silver, her father was killed in the War, and her mother worked in the factories along with her sisters and little brother. The girl came to the island to earn money quickly being a maid. Apparently Mr. Krennic is incredibly generous to his help. She came about four weeks ago, taking over as a basic maid. Her friend and roommate was the one who found her body- she is Sherin. I am going to question her again now.”

“What did your contact say, Jyn?”

Cassian looked at her and she squinted at Kaytoo, “He is going to look into it. I trust him.”

Kaytoo scoffed and headed towards the exit.

“Do be careful. In case something happens. I wouldn’t want someone getting hurt,” he said, looking at Jyn as he passed her and headed out of the church, leaving the others alone. Cassian looked at Churrit.

“Well, you know the island better then us. Where should we start?”

“Every woman on the island goes to Macy’s Shop at one point in their month,” he said, tilting his head in Jyn’s direction. She crossed her arms.

“It’s true. That’s a good start. I’ll go.”

“I’ll go with you,” Cassian said, standing up and she looked annoyed.

“What do we do?” Churrit asked, standing as well.

“Kaytoo is taking care of the people in the Tower, take care of looking into everyone outside of it. The village isn’t that big, there can’t be a lot of people who are suspects. Just chose the ones you think are the most likely and I will visit them. Seeing a priest at their door might get them in a more talkative mood.”

They liked the plan and left without another word and Jyn looked at Cassian.

“I didn’t think that you’d want them to help.”

“I don’t. But I won’t turn them away either. Better more sets of eyes… well, one more set at least, then just the two of us. Since I promised I wouldn’t tell Bodhi what we are doing, we can’t rely on him, so those two will have to do.”

She looked at the ground, as if she were ashamed of something and he wondered if he had spoken too harshly. The distance between them was incredibly close, and he had no idea how that had come about. He took a step forward, leaving through the front doors of the church and Jyn followed, checking her sidearm to make sure it was still there before she went.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kaytoo knowing what Cassian is up to and him just accepting the help just made sense. and Churrit and Baze burst on the scene to help out!!!


	8. Broken Bottles, Broken Dreams

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter up and running!!!

“It is forbidden to kill; therefore all murders are punished, unless they kill in large numbers and to the sounds of trumpets.” –Voltaire

Standing outside of a shop for women proved to be far too uncomfortable for Cassian, so he went across the street to the phone booth, finding that he should probably tell his bishop what was going on. He had drafted a letter to send but he was starting to think that a phone call or telegram might be better. So he went to the phone and quickly dialed.

“Yes, operator, I am trying to contact Father Draven in London,” he said, waiting as it was starting to rain overhead. He looked over to see Jyn step out of the store, talking to the woman named Vivian, nodding her head. He turned and looked at the phone.

“Yes?”

“Father Draven,” Cassian said, and the father greeted with a grunt. “I was just wanting to report to you an incident that has happened in my parish.”

“An incident?”

“A young woman was found murdered.”

He heard the man cross himself and whisper a prayer and then resume his call.

“What have the police said?”

“Nothing so far. They found her body last night. Scotland Yard sent an old army friend of mine to come and investigate.”

“Well, handle everything quietly. Be there for the community and continue God’ Work.”

Cassian made a face.

“That’s it?”

“What else is there? You’re not a policeman, Cassian, and you aren’t a soldier either. You are a father in the Catholic Church. You continue on as if nothing has happened, help your parish thrive and remind everyone that God’s justice is divine and unwavering.”

Cassian honestly didn’t know what his superior was going to say but this wasn’t it. Draven had been a military chaplin as well, but spent the most of the war in London, and had spent most of that time behind a desk. So he didn’t have the world experience Cassian did. Just doing nothing, just being there for people wasn’t enough. A woman was murdered. He pinched the bridge of his nose.

“That’s all?” Draven asked.

“Yes, Father.”

“Good. Report back when the police are finished. And get to the funeral arrangements as fast as possible.”

With a short blessing, the phone call was over and Cassian slammed down the receiver. He honestly didn’t know what he had been expecting. Support? Comfort? Anything but that reaction. He opened the door of the phone booth and found Jyn standing right there, arms crossed.

“Who was that?”

“My bishop in London. I had to tell him what was going on.”

“Hmm,” she said and he made a face.

“Jyn, I have to report to my superiors.”

“I didn’t say anything,” she said and he leaned on the doorframe, crossing his arms.

“You said “hmm.””

“That’s not anything. It’s just hmm..”

“What did you find out about the girl?”

“Vivian, she runs the store during the summer and fall, she said that the maid came to her a week ago, feeling terrible. She had been unsure if it was the monthly sickness or if it was something else, so she gave her some sleeping pills to help her out.”

“Sleeping pills?”

“If she was worried about someone in the Tower, she might have been using her monthly as an excuse to get some- easier to drug someone than try to fight with them, if you’re a woman.”

“Or she was just having trouble sleeping and was sick,” Cassian said, looking skeptical.

“Why are you coming along if you’re just going to contradict me?” Jyn asked, walking towards the bar across the street.

“Because it’s always good to stay skeptical. Keeps things in perspective.”

“You’re a priest,” she said over her shoulder. He didn’t want to, but he notice the way her hair was almost floating in the wind today every time she turned her head.

“God encourages doubt, it helps keep faith strong. If I have doubt in my heart, I am not blindly faithful.”

“That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Neither does the world, but we still live in it,” Cassian said and he heard her sigh. He tried not to smile too much at her exasperation.

They reached a bar called The Captain’s Quarters and entered, finding it pretty empty for ten in the morning. He assumed that Jyn had a plan to come here until she simply walked over and sat down at the bar and he felt incredibly uncomfortable. Should he join her? Talk to the bartender? Go outside and scream into the void? He was still a priest and his habit felt suddenly like a noose.

“Come on, Father Andor,” Jyn said, waving him over and he made a face, walking to the bar. “Have a sit, we’re waiting for someone.”

She ordered a brandy for herself and Cassian drank water as they waited in silence.

“Who are we waiting for, exactly?”

“If you want anything from the mainland that can’t go through um… legal channels, there is only one person on the island you can go to.”

“Legal channels? You mean smuggling?”

“Hey, every place needs some stuff that maybe the Spanish Government doesn’t allow. Like basically anything fun.”

“Explains why there is a bar on the island, yes,” he said, trying not to notice that her hand was dangerously close to his arm on the bar. He shifted uncomfortably.

“Well, if there is anything you need, or anything you need to know, Han is the guy to talk to.”

“Han?”

“Han Solo. The guy is one of the best smugglers, he can get anything for anyone. He should be here soon, he is bringing in a shipment of liquor for the bar.”

“How would a smuggler be helpful in this situation?”

“Well, I don’t for a second believe that was the girl’s real name. I think that she probably bought a fake passport, took advantage of going to a new place and made the entire story up about her childhood. The stupid detective takes too much at face value. I bet he is going to find out that the real Miss Whatever Her Name Was, died as a baby and our maid is a fake.”

“So Han Solo would know who she really was?”

“I bet that he gave her the ride here. Let her look like she was coming off of the ferry down the shoreline a bit, and then she went to the Tower, pretending to be a maid looking for work. I think she was running from something and it got worse when she got here.”

He didn’t respond.

“I need to go to the church.”

She looked up as he suddenly stood, and headed towards the door.

“Cassian?” she asked, standing up and following him.

“I will be back, wait for your smuggler,” he said and without thinking, leaned in and hugged her. “Thanks for the idea.”

And he hurried out into the rain, leaving her standing there, staring after him.  
\---  
Cassian found Bodhi sweeping the altar, lighting a few candles as the rain pounded on the windows. There was a single old woman praying by herself in a pew and Cassian moved towards the confessional.

“Father?” Bodhi asked, coming over and looking into the confessional as Cassian searched it, knocking on wood and touching the surface.

“Are you looking for something?”

He didn’t want to explain what he was doing, for worry that Bodhi would figure out what he and Jyn were up to. So he instead looked at him.

“Can you get the flashlight from over there?” he asked, and pointed towards a utility closet in the corner. Bodhi obeyed and brought back a flashlight, turning it on. Cassian touched every possible surface inside of the confessional and found nothing. He muttered to himself. Then he had a thought. He moved around to the back of it. There was enough room to walk back there without being seen. Often times if Cassian was praying, he didn’t even know if someone was in the church, so it wouldn’t be difficult for the maid to sneak in and hide something.

“Bodhi, here,” he said, and Bodhi shined the light for him. He knocked the surface over and over again, hearing the hollow wood knocking back until he heard something thump.

“What is that?” Bodhi asked and Cassian saw that the wood had been removed and returned, tiny scratches on the wood.

“I need a screwdriver.”

Bodhi hurried and returned with the tool, leaning down in excitement as he watched Cassian release the wood and reveal a stack of papers tied together with string. He pulled it out and find a letter addressed to himself. He looked at Bodhi.

“Can you do me a favor? There are two men who live on the island, Churrit and Baze,” he said and Bodhi nodded.

“I know them.”

“Find them and bring them back here. Your sister should be coming soon enough. I need to read these,” he said and left to go upstairs.

He reached his room and took out the letter addressed to himself. He looked it over and then opened it.

Dear Father Andor,

I am sorry that I am doing this to you but I don’t know where else to turn. I am a maid at the Tower and I have uncovered a terrible secret.

As soon the world will know, I am Jewish.

I was living in Spain during the Purge, and I was forced with my family to move out of the country when I was only five. We went to Portugal and then to France. There we were caught up in the beginning of the War. I was separated from everyone and I have never found my family since.

I had to keep my identity as a Jew secret. It was the only way to survive. Luckily I was quick to learn French and passed as best as I could as a native there. I was taken in by a family and when the war ended, I sought out my family. But I never found them. So I wanted to return to my native Spain, only to find that I am still unwelcome here. So I kept my identity a secret for the most part.

But when I went to work at the Tower, I discovered something there truly terrible. I only wish that these papers are evidence enough to arrest that man and see him face a firing squad. And true justice can be served.

I must go. Forgive me, sir.

-A Lost Daughter, Deborah

“Oh, that girl. Troublesome as ever.”

Cassian almost jumped out of his skin, and heard the clicking of a gun. He slowly turned and looked over his shoulder.

Standing there was none other than Orson Krennic, dressed in his white suit and holding out a shiny German pistol.

“I think it’s time we went back to the Tower, eh, Father?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cassian is the damsel in distress!!!! And Han Solo is going to make an appearance!!!

**Author's Note:**

> Please go to Tumblr and tell these peeps they are awesome for this idea. @rapidashpatronus and @sambargestuff.


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